A few years ago, the editors of Guitar World compiled what we feel is the ultimate guide to the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time.

The list, which has been quoted by countless artists, websites and publications around the world, starts with Richie Sambora's work on Bon Jovi's “Wanted Dead or Alive” (100) and builds to a truly epic finish with Jimmy Page's solo on "Stairway to Heaven" (01).

On June 10, we kicked off a summer blockbuster of our own — a no-holds-barred six-string shootout. We pitted Guitar World's top 64 guitar solos against each other in an NCAA-style, 64-team single-elimination tournament. We asked you to cast your vote in a different guitar-solo matchup as dictated by the 64-team-style bracket. Now Rounds 1, 2, 3 (Sweet 16), 4 (Elite Eight) and 5 (Final Four) have come and gone, leaving us with two incredible guitar solos!

So ...

WELCOME TO THE ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIP, where the last two solos — "Eruption" (Eddie Van Halen) and "Comfortably Numb" (David Gilmour) — will go head to head before your eyes! As always, you can vote only once (per device).

As has happened often since June 10, we have something of a genre clash going on here, but remember — they're both guitar solos, played on guitars, by guitarists. It might have to come down to, "Which solo is more original and creative for its time? Which is more iconic or important? or Which one kicks a larger, more impressive assemblage of asses?"

Welcome to the final matchup in Guitar World's Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time Readers Poll! In many ways, it's the perfect showdown — speed and groundbreaking pyrotechnics against a handful of powerful, perfectly placed notes that simply make your hair stand on end. But only one guitar solo can win the poll! Note that the final matchup pits the No. 2 song ("Eruption") against the No. 4 song ("Numb"). The top-seeded solo, "Stairway to Heaven" (01), fell by the wayside last week during the Final Four. The No. 3 solo, "Free Bird," didn't survive the Elite Eight. For more history, read on ...

It is hard to imagine a more appropriately titled piece of music than Edward Van Halen’s solo guitar showcase, “Eruption.” When the wildly innovative instrumental was released in 1978, it hit the rock guitar community like a hydrogen bomb. Two-handed tapping, gonzo whammy bar dips, artificial harmonics—with Van Halen’s masterly application of these and other techniques, “Eruption” made every other six-stringer look like a third-stringer.

But the most remarkable thing, perhaps, about the unaccompanied solo is that it almost didn’t make it on to Van Halen’s debut album.

“The story behind ‘Eruption’ is strange,” says Van Halen. “While we were recording the album, I showed up at the studio early one day and started to warm up because I had a gig on the weekend and I wanted to practice my solo-guitar spot. Our producer, Ted Templeman, happened to walk by and he asked, ‘What’s that? Let’s put it on tape!’

“I played it two times for the record, and we kept the one that seemed to flow. Ted liked it, and everyone else agreed that we should throw it on the album. I didn’t even play it right—there’s a mistake at the top end of it. Whenever I hear it, I always think, Man, I could’ve played it better.”

As for the distinctive echo effect on the track, Eddie recalls that he used a relatively obscure unit—a Univox echo chamber. “It had a miniature 8-track cassette in it, and the way it would adjust the rate of repeat was by the speed of the motor, not by tape heads. So, if you recorded something on tape, the faster you played the motor back, the faster it would repeat and vice versa. I liked some of the noises I got out of it, but its motor would always burn out.

“I like the way ‘Eruption’ sounds. I’d never heard a guitar sound like that before.”

How do you reason with two guys who once went to court over the artistic ownership of a big rubber pig? That was Bob Ezrin’s mission when he agreed to co-produce Pink Floyd’s The Wall with guitarist David Gilmour and bassist/vocalist Roger Waters. The legendary tensions between the two feuding Floyds came to a head during sessions for The Wall in 1979—which was why Ezrin was called in.

“My job was to mediate between two dominant personalities,” recalls Ezrin. However, the producer turned out to be no mere referee, but contributed plenty ideas of his own. “I fought for the introduction of the orchestra on that record,” says Ezrin. “This became a big issue on ‘Comfortably Numb,’ which Dave saw as a more bare-bones track. Roger sided with me. So the song became a true collaboration—it’s David’s music, Roger’s lyric and my orchestral chart.”

Gilmour’s classic guitar solo was cut using a combination of the guitarist’s Hiwatt amps and Yamaha rotating speaker cabinets, Ezrin recalls. But with Gilmour, he adds, equipment is secondary to touch: “You can give him a ukulele and he’ll make it sound like a Stradivarius.”

Which doesn’t mean Gilmour didn’t fiddle around in the studio when he laid down the song’s unforgettable lead guitar part. “I banged out five or six solos,” says Gilmour. “From there I just followed my usual procedure, which is to listen back to each solo and make a chart, noting which bits are good. Then, by following the chart, I create one great composite solo by whipping one fader up, then another fader, jumping from phrase to phrase until everything flows together. That’s the way we did it on ‘Comfortably Numb.’ ”

I disagree that Eruption should be the best ever. The story goes that it wasn't Ed who cobbled a lot of frantic random wankery together and declared it his magnum opus worth recording, and I concur.
In musical terms this was taking a 50hp Pinto, putting a fart can on it, parking at Walmart and proceeding to rev the engine into the red over and over and over. See me! Watch me! Plastic trim all around! Fat tires! Loud paint! Volume at 11! Synthol! And that appealed to kids playing Smoke at the time. Less structure or songcraft, more screech.
There's talk about how much it influenced mainstream rock, which is true. LA hair took over. Botox.
But I feel Ed jumped the shark by writing pop fluff Jump, then cramming some alleged heavy metal thunder into that, too, sounding just like Eruption. This beat Karma Chameleon in the pop charts. Wankery is hopelessly dated by now. New Eruption videos no longer go viral on YouTube.

I wouldn't read Guitar World if I didn't love all these great players--I hate a "who's best" question because it's pointless. Too many great recordings by too many great players--and I firmly believe there are even better ones out there who haven't been heard because no record company signed them.
Congrats to EVH, I'm sure he'll covet his new trophy....it takes nothing away from the phenomenal playing of Jimmy Hendrix, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, Dijebag Darrell, Kirk Hammett, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Brian May, Joe Satriani, Guthrie Govan, George Harrison, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Joe Bonamassa, Shaun Lane, Richie Blackmore, Steve Morse...and any other six-stringer who ever made someone smile.

To the guy's upset over this. You people are funny. Trying to convince us there is a so called lack of "feeling" in Eruption. Do yourself a favor and learn how to play it. You will quickly learn that, that is all it is. Quit crying, pick up your guitar and find out why we voted the way we did.

Kind of funny how a simple poll of something we as guitar players (some voters maybe not)all love, brings out all of this emotion. I voted for 'Numb....IMO it's simply the best solo that fit's the context of the song it's in. I consider EVH my 2nd favorite player and when I hear Eruption I always stop what I'm doing and listen. You have your haters (Hendrix1970 and voodoochile2) but everyone is entitled to an opinion. Really is there a "greatest guitar player ever".....probably not. Are there technically more proficient players, for sure. Players with more soul and feel, for sure. But does one, a combination of all make anyone the best?? I think not. Being 47 years old with 2 older brother's I've heard the gamut of music from many decades and can appreciate what all musicians from those times and genre's brought to the instrument. I'm a metal guy through and through, but all I can say is just enjoy and appreciate the music you like and be glad that there are/were musicians that were brave and lucky enough to have their craft heard.

I call foul here. One is an intentional guitar solo for the sake of being a guitar virtuoso statement, the other is a solo meant to fit in the context of a song. This is BS and should really be Stairway vs Comfortably Numb.

All you Pink Floyd fans that are crying that Comfortably Numb was the cats ass need to remember one thing in this arguement.....

EVH originally did that solo on an acoustic guitar before a show at the Whisky as a WARM UP and I think it was Templeman that heard him do it and asked if ed can do it on electric. Of course it was easier to do electric and Ed did it in a couple of takes.

Lets see any of the listed heros here in the poll pull eruption off as it is never mind on acoustic!!

Ed himself never considered wanking around deliriously on guitar worthy of recording, his greatest achievement, what everyone must aspire to lest they be labeled a disabled minority. Tell us why he missed that

I'm assuming that means "which one influenced the most people". Well that's gotta be Eruption. It basically created 80s rock guitar right there. As great as Comfortably Numb is...Clapton put that style on the map...not Gilmore. And 80s rock guitarists certainly weren't aping CN.

I also know a lot of people prefer "serious" with rock music but I've always leaned toward "fun". (The genre started out as "fun music" in the 50s) EVH was fun...the guy never stopped smiling...I can practically hear him smiling in Eruption!

All of the EVH fans on here keep pushing that "Eruption" is the most influential solo ever, but, when I was a child, I caught a fleeting sound, from the corner of my house, I listened for more, but it was gone... At only about 6 yrs old, it made me shiver, chills ran down my spine, my hair stood on end, and my eyes were teary. So I asked my mom (Pink Floyd is her favorite),"What was that?" She told me it was "Comfortably Numb". I had no idea what that meant at that time, but I knew that I loved it, and I wanted to do that too. When I got older and started playing guitar, the only song I cared about learning was "Comfortably Numb". I'd heard "Eruption many times, since our local classic rock radio station always played "Eruption" as an "intro" of sorts, to Van Halen's cover of "Pretty Woman". I never was very impressed at all. In fact, I always thought that the intro to "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" was cooler than "Eruption". And it's not that I'm not into "flashy, fast, noodling" because, behind David Gilmoure, my favorite guitarist is John Petrucci, and he's as fast, flashy, and noodley as they come. But, all in all, "Comfortably Numb" is probably the reason that I ever even wanted to play guitar. So, it definitely gets my vote!

I don't understand why people always say eddie doesn't have "feel." The fact is, eddie has great feel and rhythm.

The truth is, these are two songs with 2 completely different feels. eddie wanted to a high intensity, good time feeling.

Comfortably numb has a kick ass solo, but I still had to go with Van Halen on this one. Little Wing was the only song I voted over Eruption.

Eruption wins these contests because it was THE game changing solo. It is the best? no because there is no "best" but it did influence a whole lot of us guitar players, which is why we hold it in such high regards.

These polls are meant to be fun, so just vote for your favorite, no need to try and discredit the other. 'cause in the end it's all about how it impacted you.

Ok D. Gilmour may not be the best guitarist ever (but my favorite none the less). I would have thought either jims would have won it.
I have tried to get into Van Halen Albums but they bring no emotions out in me. Sorry but in my opinion its just an inflated ego driven posing solo by EVH. At no point does it take me on a journey. And in my mind this is why we play and listen to music,not to see who can get the most noise out. I'd never own the loudest car and i'd never listen to the noisiest guitarist.Lifes too short to waste it on wank.

So what might that journey be? I like to ask friends of it to elaborate over at YouTube. Wax poetic, say who, what, where, why, when how this wanky mess is cranked in their lives, what its a soundtrack to, etc. "it just is (sic) your a looser doshbag STFU"
Thats pretty lazy. Heres supposedly the greatest ever and fans can't offer a few adjectives and superlatives? "it just is"

Wow.. Eddie AGAIN? Been doing the same thing since 1979, over and over. No evolution in his playing what so ever (and don't give me the keyboard crap, he learned to play piano first so that is actually de-evolution). I know this is like asking a parent to pick their favorite child, and we all know what opinions are compared to, but there are players in that poll that grew, matured, and evolved as players... Eddie is not one of them..

The wanky craze he started got boring to me after a while, but it was actually his pop song Jump that made me realize when the revolution was over.
There he was, with fluffy, breezy keyboards, Dave's got his back against the record machine, when all of a sudden it all stops and Ed interrupts with the standard Watch me! See me! heavy metal thunder. And it fit into pop fluff Jump, which in turn beat Karma Chameleon up the charts in 84.

i can give you a song on each album that shows advances in playing
Van Halen: Eruption (obviously)
Van Halen II: Women In Love he does his tapping harmonics beautifully on the intro
Women and Children First: he finally busts out the keyboards on ...And the Cradle Will Rock (its a change from the normal) and Romeo Delight he takes tap harmonics to the next level
Fair Warning: mean street the intro is tapping harmonics but even more advanced. hes adding on..evolving
Diver Down: Cathedral he brings the volume swells which have been making appearances in little bits throughout the first four albums and throws in some delay and makes it sound like an organ. something new again.
1984: nothing really...it has keyboards so it is a change but i agree with the de-evolution kind of on that one album.

all the hagar albums are a different sound completely than the first 6 DLR ones.
Gary Cherone....
A Different Kind of Truth: EVH gets heavy, his sound is different, sounds better than maybe any album since VHI or VHII
he definitely evolves, you just keep listening to eruption

Lol. And who would be your perfect ever growing guitarist? I'm not sure if you are just ignorant or just dumb, but give a listen to all Van Halen albums (Roth, Hagar, and Cherone) and then tell me his playing didn't evolve. He was the person who mainstreamed more than a handful of techniques that many players use today and are standard techniques.

To all that are complaining about a EVH always winning these polls... What do you expect?
He's the greatest. I dunno what to tell you. There has never been anyone who comes close.
Eruption changed everything and so did Ed. No contest.

Oh my God, what a shock?? Eddie's winning ANOTHER GW poll. I never would've seen this coming in the beginning, not in a million years. You'd think it's still 1982 the way you're all gushing about this dude. I have to give it to you though, I thought for sure it'd be EVH vs. Jimmy Page. Oh well, let's grow out our mullets and take the IROC for a spin...

Eddie Van Halen is the best guitar player of all time, but Comfortably Numb is the best solo of all time.

Yes, Eruption is astounding and changed the way people viewed and played the electric guitar for decades to come- but there's something absolutely magical about CN- it just builds and builds in momentum, tension and emotion towards that shattering climax. No, there's no extremely difficult shredding or anything in it, but it's the most emotional and soulful two minutes of guitar playing ever recorded, imo.

Eruption is awesome, but Comfortably Numb is beautiful and sends shivers down my spine every time, so it gets the nod from me.

Imho Comfortably Numb should have NEVER made it past FTLOG (maybe not even Master of Puppets). It´s a pretty good standard guitar solo, like there are played thousands of its kind a day around the world.
So come on...
My vote goes to Eruption, which is a quite interesting shredfest ;)

It seems that eruption will get the second place. That's ok with me because Guitar World did a poll on the best guitarist of all time and Eddie won that. I can see why a lot of people don't like EVH's noodling but it was very influential to a lot of players. It's the song that changed how people played a guitar or what the limits were.

I just listened to numb and I really don't see the hype of that song or the whole band. I really think they're quite a bore.